A really romping single from the lesser-known Connie Austin – a cut that's as funky as is soulful, with a set of backings that comes down right on the money, while a little conga line kicks things right back over the top! The approach allows Connie's vocals to really soar – giving the whole thing an unexpectedly righteous vibe! Charles Spurling steps out on the flipside – a storming Northern Soul number recorded in the 60s, but which appears here on a 45 for the first time ever! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A mighty nice electro groove from Father Sheed – a cut that has a bouncing bassline that sets up a groove for keyboards to follow – while vocoded vocals are served up very far down in the mix, leaving most of the "singing" of the tune to the keyboards and bass! "Love Street" has a great percolated groove – a sharper drum machine line with a nicely bubbling rhythm, almost "Sexual Healing" in style – very 80s, as are the processed vocals on the tune! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two obscure 70s cuts from Darrow Fletcher – both making their debut on 45! "Hope For Love" is the kind of slow-burning tune that Darrow does so well – a perfect showcase for his unique vocal approach, and set to a gentle groove that's perfect for the later hours! "No Limit" follows with a very similar vibe – and has almost a Teddy Pendergrass sort of intro, one that really gives Fletcher a great way to slide into the tune – before things take off and the groove picks up nicely! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two great cuts from Clydene Jackson – a singer who works here with some great production work from Ray Charles! There's a romping piano line on "I Need Your Love", which sets a nicely soulful current for Clydene's soaring vocals – almost a Carole King sort of energy, but better! "We're In Love" has a nicely different vibe – a glowing, swaying, sophisticated style that really glistens in a mellow sort of way! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two great cuts from 60s female soul singer Tobi Lark! "Challenge My Love" is a mid 60s Detroit groover from the hands of Dave Hamilton – nicely chugging beat underneath, sweet vocals by Tobi, and a bit of a brassy finish on the groove – all making for a nice midtempo dancer all around! "Sweep It Out" is a stone cooker from Tobi Lark – a romping Northern groove that has some weird harmony vocals shooby-doobing underneath Tobi's bold, raw lead – all on top of a rhythm that's completely infectious from the get-go! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two versions of a great track by Joe McPhee – both of which have the saxophonist laying out some surprisingly soulful sounds! If you only know Joe from his later avant years, you'll be stunned to hear McPhee here – as "Cosmic Love" has Joe spinning out this soulful saxophone lead over organ, which burns very slowly in the background – as McPhee starts out first straight, then surprisingly outside once things get going – but with a vibe that's somewhere between Kalaparusha on Delmark, and Arthur Doyle a few years later. The second version of the tune really turns up the echo on the organ, which makes things even more cosmic – as McPhee's solo follows a similar way-out path! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Beautiful harmony soul from Act 1 – a group we totally love when they're in this mode – just grooving enough to open up the vocals a bit, stepping along with some great east coast sweet soul production! "Night Of The Wolf" is a completely different track, but equally groovy – a sharp funky instrumental with all sorts of fast-riffing guitar, taken from a rare Italian sound library album of the 70s – and topped with a cool whistle that almost has a spaghetti western vibe! 7-inch, Vinyl record